Saturday, January 13, 2007

   Venus Versus Virus Ep1
[Posted @ 4:00 PM]
Ohhh new title again!


A short battle teaser between Rucia and Sumire. Basically Sumire is in this 'bad mode' where she couldn't control herself from the assault mode. However, in the close up of Sumire's eye, there's no sign of her in the bad mode ... if so, there should be a cross in the pupil ... weird.


OP, 'Bravin' Bad Brew' by Riryka was awesome, fast paced, rush feeling with a little techno inside, really suits the mood after the little teaser battle between Rucia and Sumire in the opening. The OP images really up the shoujo-ai vibes by focusing on Rucia and Sumire reaching out to each and this forbidden thing going on lol. I like the last scene most, where Rucia and Sumire were lying face to each other in the green pasture and grasping their hands together. Sumire then opened her eyes and smiled at Rucia who too smiled back.


It's after class, Takahana Sumire's packing her stuff and getting ready to go off when her friends asked if she would like to go have tea with them. Sumire apologized and said next time, grabbed her stuff and ran off. At the school gate, Mikumo Riku was practising how to ask Sumire out for a date lol. Mikumo Nene was unsatisfied at Riku's soft advances and as they were aruging, they noticed Sumire rushing out of the school gate. As Riku's stuttering out his lines, Sumire realized that she's late, apologized and ran off. Nene then remembered that that day's the day where she had to go that place. While running to her destination, Sumire knocked onto a guy, who will become a huge threat in the relationship of Rucia and Sumire, GGGRRRRR anyways she just apologized and ran off again. Sumire finally arrived in Venus Vanguard which was a local clothing store owned by Nabashi Rucia. In her hurry, Sumire messed up her hair and as she was tidying it, Rucia told her that they have a customer. As Sumire looked around for someone, Lola, an assistant in the store pointed below ... which means that the customer had 'special' problems. The customer, Toudou Risa had saw the advertisement saying they could solve anything and hoped that the person in charge could believe and help her. Rucia explained that only people with special powers could see the words on the advertisement and thus she vaguely knew what Risa's problems were about. Risa told them about an incident whereby she saw a pair of eyes appearing below her and from then on she had been seeing creepy shadows.

Risa added, not only that, friends of hers had been disappearing too and suspect the shadows were causing it. Rucia stated that it's a 'Virus' and accepted Risa's request. Smirking, Rucia said that it's her job after all. Risa brought Rucia and Sumire to the place where she last saw the shadow following her. Risa was confused what's 'Virus'. Sumire replied that a Virus was also known as a Demon '–‚�l'. Rucia explained that Virus was the existence of an abandoned soul therefore they need to leech onto a human soul to exist in the world. Greedily sucking the life of a human, a truly sad but horrifying creature. Hearing blunt words from Rucia, Risa then realized that her friends' souls were eaten away by the Virus which was equivalent to be killed. However, Risa said that her friends never saw the shadows. Sumire explained that there're people who can see Virus and people who can't see Virus. For example, Sumire pointed to a corner where a lowly ranked Virus was moving up a guy who can't see it. Risa then realized that Sumire's the same as her as she too could see Virus. The Virus was attracted to them and went to their side, Sumire quickly took out her ring and repelled the Virus.

As Rucia's searching for clues, she's puzzled why the Virus had not left much evidence like it had disappeared. Sumire was then attacked by the shadow Virus, by the time Rucia got to Sumire, she was injured and had fainted. Risa too had fainted. Back in the Venus Vanguard, Souchirou Nabashi, Rucia's father was treating Sumire's arm. Luckily, Sumire's only hurt lightly but she didn't managed to see the Virus's face. Rucia went into the room where Risa's resting on bed. The only clue was Risa, so Rucia took off her eye patch to reveal her 'eye' to see the Virus. As Sumire's agonizing over her mistake and wondered if Rucia will hate her, they heard a thump coming out from Risa's room. When they went in, they saw Rucia lying on the floor. Covering her left eye, Rucia said she got it and everything will be left to Sumire to finish it. [I think whenever Rucia used the power of her eye, her health becomes kinda weak] That night, Rucia had a nightmare and broke the glass of roses at her bedside. Souchirou entered the room and started picking up the broken pieces. Rucia said that it's bad luck, why must she be born with this eye ... things that were not supposed to be seen were seen ... if only she could see nothing ... so she won't have to suffer this pain.

Chuckling, Rucia added that she had no rights to tease Sumire as she herself had spoken words of a cowardly person. Souchirou disagreed and said Rucia had done well, daughter. Just then, Lola arrived to present Rucia's weapon to eliminate the Virus. In Risa's home, seemed like Sumire's there to protect Risa over the night but she doesn't seem to be reliable as she actually spinned and dropped her gun LOL. Sumire also explained that the gun could only affect Virus and looked like a toy to a human. Risa nevertheless admired both Rucia and Sumire for being brave enough to eliminate Virus. Sumire protested and said that she too was afraid and given the choice she rather not do it lol ... however ... Sumire didn't explain more, in her mind she thought, if her body turned back to normal ... In the middle of the night, Risa's already asleep, Sumire's fighting her sleep but lost to it anyways lol. The Virus started to appear from Risa's shadow and was starting to engulf Sumire's sleeping form when suddenly Rucia stopped its attacks by shooting it. Rucia explained that the Virus had hidden itself in Risa's body like a trap, coming out to attack when prey's near, that's why there's not much clues left behind and looked like it just disappeared. If not for Rucia's special left eye, the Virus might had gotten away with it.

Rucia revealed Sumire's just bait to attract the Virus out LOL as Virus were drawn to those who could see them. Rucia even added Sumire's a top grade bait LOL. Rucia fired a shot at the Virus causing bubbles to form on its left arm. Rucia said that the bullets were custom made filled with anti-virus to eliminate Virus. The Virus smashed out of the room and absorbed the moon light to regenerate its arm. Slapping Rucia's gun out of her hands, the Virus attacked Rucia pinning her down. The Virus then suggested Rucia to join them to become Virus, Rucia flashbacked a memory when she was young of her mother lying unconscious on the ground with a Virus yelling at the top of its lungs. - Back to present - Rucia refused the Virus's offer ... as the Virus was about to strike, Sumire fired shots at it ... but she missed EVERY shot LOL and finished her bullets. The Virus smacked Sumire away and advanced on her ... with his back to Rucia, Rucia pointed her gun and shot the Virus. The Virus melt to a pool of liquid. Turning to Sumire, Rucia told her to start training on her shooting skills LOL. However, it's not over, the Virus came back and took Sumire hostage.

Rucia fired a shot at Sumire, causing her to turn to 'Berserk' mode. A mark appeared on Sumire's left arm, Sumire's eyes took on an evil glare with a cross in the pupil. Sumire's glowing hand dissolved the Virus's arm, causing it to cry out in pain. Turning, Sumire doved her glowing hand into the Virus and started smashing it into a mush. Souchirou explained that Sumire's body had a reaction to the custom made anti-virus bullet they made and turned into 'Berserk' mode, giving her the strength to fight Virus, however ... In 'Berserk' mode, she's like a blade, a time bomb which will blast off anytime ... noone can stop her. After killing the Virus, Sumire turned towards Rucia and attacked her ... but before she could strike Rucia, the anti-virus effect had wore off and she fainted. Elsewhere, the baddies were looking at Rucia and Sumire with their spy cam through a mirror ... - END -


ED, 'Shijun no Zankoku' by Yousei Teikoku is great too, a haunting, mysterious and eeriness in it. I like the last part where they dragged the violin to pull out the tingling feeling =). The images were kinda dull, the same old pose all the while, lol reminds me of the Titanic, 'I'm flying' pose.


It's only episode 2 and Sumire's quitting the eliminating virus job!? What will happen?

I like the eye catches ... very nice =). I like how Rucia kept teasing Sumire lol. Although the anime started differently from the manga, I'm hopefully for the anime to slot in how Rucia and Sumire met and more will be explained how Sumire got her powers and stuff. One more thing, HOLY CRAP THEY JUST SHOWED RUCIA'S EYE-PATCH COVERED EYE! The manga with 3 volumes haven't even got that far ... gone with the suspence haha. Alright fine, I missed it, it WAS in volume 1 of the manga but it's at the special part ... haha.

Art: 7/10 [Their eyes look like cats sometimes lol.]
Story: 8/10 [Great, although it's different from the manga.]
Characters: 7.5/10 [Rucia's cool, Sumire's a klutz that is until she turn baddie mode.]
Overall: 8.5/10 [An impressive episode 1, action and thrill.]

[Signing off @ 5:13 PM]
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